Pat McAfee has announced his temporary departure from WWE RAW to join ESPN's College GameDay and cover the upcoming college and professional football seasons. His final RAW appearance was on August 19, 2024, after which Joe Tessitore will replace him starting September 2. Michael Cole, who has worked alongside McAfee, will move to SmackDown. McAfee is expected to return to WWE in January 2025 when RAW debuts on Netflix. McAfee's departure has left fans and colleagues emotional, highlighting his popularity and the energy he brought to the commentary team.